Features

OPINION: There are conflicting views over whether proposed amendments to South African law, which would reduce the number of licensed firearms and rule out the acquisition of a firearm for self-defence, will have the desired effect on gun crime in the country; but criminologist and lecturer Dr Guy Lamb of Stellenbosch University argues that the legislation changes are an important element in the efforts of the Government and police to keep guns out of the hands of criminals.

Insight: Multiple and conflicting factors shaped the ways police officers thought about their work during the height of the COVID-19 crisis. UK researchers concluded that organisational climate was at the heart of these processes and officers may be more likely to maintain appropriate standards of policing and feel less stress if they are well supported by employers. Dr Arabella Kyprianides reports on the research conducted with Professor Ben Bradford, Professor Clifford Stott and Dr Leanne Savigar-Shaw.

Feature: Urgent changes need to be implemented to fraud investigations to improve the level of service to victims, according to HMICFRS. Policing Insight Deputy Editor Sarah Gibbons looks at the recommendations to make this area of crime a higher priority.

POLICE SUPERS CONFERENCE 2021: Earlier this year, the Chair of the College of Policing Lord Nick Herbert launched a fundamental review of the College. At the recent Superintendents Association Conference, he revealed some early findings and the likely ‘direction of travel’ for the College.

Police Supers Conference 2021: Whilst the number of Black, Minority and Ethnic officers joining the police service is improving, the number in senior positions remains low at 4.3 per cent. This year’s Police Superintendents' Association Conference explored how representation in the senior ranks could be improved and how things might be about to change. Tina Orr Munro reports.

FEATURE: Efforts to deliver a better response to domestic abuse in Hertfordshire by strengthening partnerships, engaging survivors and adopting technology, have led to falling victim attrition rates and increased take up of support; Razi Hassan, Director of Partnership and Communication at the Domestic Abuse (DA) Alliance, explains the thinking behind the repurposed approach, and the success of the WEPROTECT app now in use by Hertfordshire Constabulary.

FEATURE: While much of the concerns regarding the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan have focused on human rights, the safety of citizens and threat from extremist militias and terrorist organisations, research has shown that the Taliban – now the Government of Afghanistan – have long been involved in organised criminality; Policing Insight’s Chris Allen looks at the ramifications for the UK and the rest of the world.

Interview: Transferring into An Garda Síochána from Toronto Police, Deputy Commissioner Shawna Coxon wondered how she would be received as 'an outsider' implementing their reform programme. She needn't have worried. Here she tells Policing Insight's Deputy Editor Sarah Gibbons about the warm welcome she's received, her frustrations at COVID restrictions limiting her walks on the beat and how the culturally rich policing style has her smitten.

ANALYSIS: The Covid pandemic and multiple lockdowns have not prompted a “significant increase” in domestic homicide deaths, according to a new police and government report published last month; but the research does raise several areas of concern, including domestic abuse risks associated with lifting lockdowns, and the “entrenched and enduring” nature of the problem, as Policing Insight Contributing Editor Tina Orr Munro reports.

OPINION: Amid the furore to call a halt to Dame Cressida Dick's time at the helm of the Metropolitan Police, the Government and - crucially - the rank and file respect and support her leadership style and believe she remains the right person for the job with no obvious successor yet identified. Former BBC Home Affairs correspondent Danny Shaw examines some of the reasons why the Commissioner's contract has, indeed, been extended.

FEATURE: The 9/11 terrorist attacks on New York’s World Trade Centre caused a devastating loss of life as well as having a huge impact on businesses and the city’s federal purse; 20 years on, Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth looks at the long-term impact of 9/11 – both physical and financial – and the legacy of a ‘War on Terror’ which is far from won.

FEATURE: The challenges of interoperability and improving communication and information sharing between police systems have long been recognised by police officers and managers alike, and the subject was a key topic for discussion at this year’s Emergency Services Show; Graham Newman of police software specialists Clue reports on the interoperability debate, and how tech and policing are working closer together to deliver improvements.

ANALYSIS: The frequency and scale of cyberattacks is increasing globally, often based around the exploitation of security vulnerabilities, and many governments now collaborate closely with cybersecurity experts to highlight those weaknesses; but Yuan Stevens and Stephanie Tran of the Leadership Lab at Ryerson University believe the Canadian Government is lagging behind others in working with experts, potentially leaving individuals and organisations at risk as a result

OPINION: As new police and crime commissioners contemplate the content of their policing plans, Charlie Norman, MD of DriveTech argues that road safety deserves greater visibility than it sometimes gets – and that the concept of education and retraining has the potential to make an even greater contribution to reducing danger on our roads as the nature of hazards on those roads continues to evolve.

ANALYSIS: Recent media headlines suggesting young recruits may not be ready for the challenges of modern UK policing have also prompted questions over the average age of those joining the service; now new research by University of Sunderland Lecturer Adrian Smiles and Police Federation of England and Wales Professional Development Lead David Bamber has confirmed that new recruits have generally got younger over the past three years – and forces need to be aware of the issues that may raise.

JOB ADVERTISEMENT: Police Lecturer vacancies at Babcock International for their new flagship contract partnering with several Higher Education Institutes across London to deliver the new Metropolitan Police Service Policing Education Qualifications Framework (PEQF) framework.

OPINION: While many governments are continuing their efforts to evacuate people from Afghanistan, the return of the Taliban has left the country’s 4,000 female police officers at particular risk; Dr Melissa Jardine, an international police consultant and former Victoria police officer, believes the international community must do more to protect those who put their lives on the line to secure the safety of their communities.

FEATURE: The pandemic-driven rise in online shopping, and a recent high-profile UK case of a fraudster sending improvised explosive devices in packages to target Amazon and eBay, have highlighted the potential threat of parcel bombs and postal attacks; Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth explores the issue, and the latest EC funding available to help law enforcement to tackle the problem.

FEATURE: A recent Independent Office for Police Conduct report made a raft of recommendations based on a review of 101 cases of the police use of Taser over a five-year period; but the National Police Chiefs’ Council and the Police Federation have both criticised the report for being ‘vague’, ‘statistically insignificant’ and failing to engage with policing, as Policing Insight Editor Keith Potter reports.

ANALYSIS: The UK Government’s ‘Uplift’ initiative to recruit an additional 20,000 police officers in England and Wales is well underway, but the challenge of balancing new recruits with those leaving posts means not all forces are expanding at the same rate; in the latest in a series of articles on the police workforce, Policing Insight’s Ian Wiggett looks at the key issues of service leavers and joiners, the pandemic effect and the need for more accurate data.

POLICING FRIENDSHIP TOUR: Avon and Somerset PCC Mark Shelford is leading the force’s hunt to find a new chief constable following the departure of Andy Marsh; but while traditionally the top job has been filled by existing chiefs or deputies, the force is widening the recruitment pool to include assistant chief constables and overseas applicants who possess the right leadership and Peelian qualities, as Mr Shelford explained to Policing Insight Publisher Bernard Rix on a recent leg of the Policing Friendship Tour.

INTERVIEW: In the first in a series of interviews with leading figures involved in the research and investigation of organised criminals, Policing Insight’s Chris Allen spoke to Dr Anna Sergi, Associate Professor in Criminology at the University of Essex and an expert on the Mafia, on how her career has developed, her current research and plans for future projects, and the key challenges presented by organised crime moving forwards.

FEATURE: The latest Member Survey of the New Zealand Police Association has confirmed that frontline support for the general arming of officers is at its highest level in a decade, with almost three quarters of officers backing the right to carry firearms routinely on duty; the increase in support comes against a backdrop of increased violence, prompting heartfelt concerns over safety and security from officers themselves.

FEATURE: There is widespread discussion about the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) across society and its relevance to policing, but for many it’s still a baffling subject; Andy Wilkins, CEO and Co-Founder of Futr – which has developed AI services for the police, local government, and the corporate and charitable sectors – explains what AI can do for critical services, why it’s important, and the difference it can make.